Art of making garments



Nov. 10, 1931. l. M. ROD

ART OF MAKING GARMENTS' Filed Jan. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l- InUenZOIsaac M I vs- NOV. 10, 1931. op 1,830,768

ART OF MAKING GARMENTS Filed Jari. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ISaacM R066,

Patented Nov, 10, 1931 ISAAC M. ROD, 0E DUBLIN, PENNSYLVANIA An'r orMAKING GABMENTS 7 Application filed January 5, 1927. Serial No. 159,048.

My invention is designed to provide an improved garment edging by a newand useful method, and it comprises a novel method of aflixing a liningand a stiffening fabric to the free edges of garments by machinestitching, and more particularly for aflixing a lining and astiffener tothe upper free edge of the Waistband of trousers by but a single row of"machine made stitches, whereby the finished edge seam will not onlyclosely simulate a hand stitched seam, but will also possess thecharacteristic advantages of hand stitched'or hand finished seams.

My invention further relates to novel apparatus for carrying out mymethod said-apparatusbeing adapted to be attached to, and to coact with,standard or, conventional sewing machines; and comprising a novelcombination of lining, folding and guiding means, and means coordinatedwith each other for guiding the cloth of the garment, a band ofstiffening material and a band of lining material, in predeterminedandfixed relation to each other, to the sewing point of the sewingmachine. v

In forming seams along the upper edges of thewaistband of trousers,whereby the waistband lining material as well as the intermediatestiffening fabric were aflixed to the'edge of the cloth or fabric of thewaistband portion of the trousers, two methods .have been-commonlyapplied heretofore. One method was known as a machine finished method,which was relatively inexpensive, and whereby the lining band and astiffening band were separately superimposed upon the outer surface ofthe fabric of the trousers, with the edges of the three plys alignedwith each other and extending in the same direction. By this machinemethod, a row of machine stitches were applied to the three superimposedlayers along and adjacent to the.

' edges thereof. Lastly the three layers were reversed so as to positionthe stifi'ening'fabric intermediate ofthe lining and the clothof .thetrousers, thereby positioning the free edges of the cloth, stiffeningand-the lining intermediate of the stiffener and'the' cloth, andconcealed from view. While this meth- 59 0d was a relatively inexpensiveone, the edgefolded along the free edge of the stifiening to the fabricof the f trousers or other garseam produced thereby was relatively thickand bulky and did not possess a Well defined and (uniformly straightedge. Moreover, by this method the intermediate'stiftening fabric wasfolded or doubled within the seam.

In order to overcome the disadvantages of the machine made seam asdescribed above, hand finishinghas been resorted to for producing thebetter class of work. By this second method known as; hand finishing,lining 60 was superimposed upon the cloth, with the edges substantiallyaligned and extending in the same direction, and the edges of the cloth1 and lining were then superimposed upon the edge of the stiffeningfabric, overlapping the same a suitable extent, and the three layerswere then basted together by hand for temporarily securing the same.Thereafter the cloth of the garment or trousers was bent or fabric,while the lining was folded back upon itself and in the same direction,and the folded edge of the lining was then aifixed to i the. folded edgeof the cloth by' a series of hand stitches. The basting thread was thenremoved from the seam. While theresulting seam was relatively thin, andotherwise I also more desirable than the machine made seams employedheretofore, since the stifi'ening fabric was not folded back uponitself, it was considerably more expensive to produce;

The object. of my invention is to provide a garment edging, and a methodand means of afiixingthe lining and stiffening fabric to the edges ofcloth, to produce said garment edging, which will possessthestructural-zid vantages and the-= desirable characteristics of thehandfinished seamed edgings used heretofore, and which at the same timewill p0} sess the economical advantages of the ma chine 'made seamededgings produced heretofore. v A further. object of my invention is toproduce a machine stitched lining in the M waistband portions of 1asers, and more par- .ticularly to so aflix the .upper edge of saidlining as well as of an intermediate stifl'ener ments, entirely bymachine stitching, as to produce a seam along the-free edge of thewaistband, which will be uniformly straight, in which the fabric of thetrousers will be bent around, and supp t d by, a single thickness of theinner or intermediate stiffening fabric, and whereby the said seam willnot only closely simulate the hand felled seam but will also possess allthe advantages thereof.

Thus by my present invention, I am enabled to line the waistband oftrousers, by a single machine operation, and thereby produce a seamededge having all the desirable characteristics and appearance of handfinished trousers, and to produce the same at a small fraction of thecost of the hand finished seams.

The characteristic features and advantages of my improvements will morefully appear from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention, and inwhich Fig. 1 represents a top plan view of the novel apparatus embodyingmy invention, showing the manner in which cloth of the garment andthelining band, as well as the stiffening band, are affixed; Fig. 2represents a vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 represents asection on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 represents a front elevation A ofthe folding device of my novel apparatus;

Fig. 5 represents a diagrammatic cross-section of the fabric of thetrousers as well as of the lining band and stiffening band, after thelatter two have been afiixed to the edge of the cloth, by the novelapparatus and method of my invention; Fig. 6 represents a diagrammaticcross section similar (to that shown in Fig. 5 with the cloth of thetrousers folded around the stiffening fabric, showing the relation ofthe three plies of fabric in the finished condition; Fig. 7 is a sideelevation of the novel apparatus of my invention on a reduced scale, andillustrating the manner in which the roll of lining band and stiffeninband are supported and fed to the folding device comprised in my novelapparatus, and the general manner in which said two bands are guided tothe common sewing point of the sewing machine where the edges thereofare aflixed to the edge of the cloth of the garment, in a predeterminedand affixed relation to each other; Fig. 8 represents a top plan view ofa Presser-foot forming part of my invention, illustrating the manner inwhich the folded edge of the lining is guided beneath the presser-foot,through a guide or gage slot in said resser-foot.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a novel folding and guidingattachment, adapt- 'ed to be secured to .the metallic table 1 of astandard or conventional sewing machine, said folder comprising a baseplate 2, adapted to be fastened or clamped onto the table of the sewingmachine, by suitable screws passing through apertures 3 therein, andthreaded into the table 1 of the sewing machine.

The base plate 2 comprises a relatively thick and parallel walledportion 4 and a relatively thin parallel walled and raised portion 5,having the lower surface thereof offset and raised from the lowersurface of the portion 4. Thus, when the base plate 2 is clamped to theflat upper surface of the table 1 of the sewin machine, the portion 5 ofsaid base plate W111 be raised and spaced from the surface of the table1 of the sewing machine, and will extend substantially parallel thereto.

7 An adjustable gage plate 6 is provided, of a thickness substantiallyequal to the offset of the portion 5 of the base plate 2, and is securedbeneath the free end 7 of the base plate 2 in an adjustable manner, bymeans of a screw 8 passing through a suita e elongated aperture in saidfree end 7 of the base plate 2, and threaded into said gage plate 6.Gage plate 6, thus secured to the free outer end of the base plate 2,forms a parallel channel 16, beneath the raised portion 5 of the baseplate 2, between the shoulder 8, and the edge 9 of said gage plate.

A parallel band of stiffening material, to be described more in detailhereinafter, is passed beneath the base plate 2, in the channel thusformed, and said stiffenin band is thereby guided in proper spaced reation to the lining fabric band as well as to the cloth of the garment.

The gage plate 6 is provided with the turned up rear end flange 10 whichbears against the rear edge 11 of the base plate 2, thereby to align thegage plate 6 with respect to said base plate. A second aligni flange 12is also provided at the other e of the gage plate 6, formed by turningupwardly a projectin portion of the inner longitudinal edge 0% said gageplate 6, and said flange 12 in turn bears against the front edge 13 ofsaid base plate.

In order to aid inaligning the folding device of my novel construction,with respect to the edge of the table 1 of the sewing machine, adownwardly depending aligning lug or gage projection 14 may also beformed on the gage plate 6, by turning downwardly a projecting terminalportion thereof. The gage projection 14 bears against the edge 15.

The folding device or apparatus of my invention further comprises aninclined aligning folder 17, disposed above and in operative alignmentwith the guiding channel 16. The lining folder 17 is carried by a Vshaped bracket 18, the horizontal portion 20 of which is adjustablysecured to the raised portion 5 of the base plate 2, b means of a pairof screws 21 extending t rough corresponding elongated apertures in thehorizontal portion of the bracket and threaded" into the portion 5 ofthe base plate 2.

- The inclined lining folder 17 comprises two parallel and spaced walls22 and 23 respectively, substantially coextensive with each other. Thelower wall 23 is provided with a slightly inclined and folded edge 24,as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and'3, while the u per wall 22 isprovided with a correspon ingrolled and inclined edge 25, which extendsaround, and is spaced from, the edge 24 of the lower wall 23, and isrigidly secured thereto on the lower surface thereof, at a slightdistance from the free edge 24 of said lower wall 23. The guiding slot26 formed between the spaced walls 22 and 23, is thus terminated at oneend in an inclined folding slot 27, having a generally curved contourand extending parallel to the slot 26 a slight distance.

A spacing plate 28 is disposed between the free and unattached ends ofthe walls 22 and 23, having an aligning flange 29 extending at a rightangle thereto and adapted to bear against the upper edge 30 of the lowerwall 23 thereby to maintain the longitudinal edge 31 of the spacingplate 28, at a right angle to the horizontal edge 30 of the wall 23. Thewalls 22 and 23 are provided with slightly elongated and alignedapertures for receiving a screw 32, whichextends through a wash- ;er 33,walls 22 and 23, and the intermediate separating or spacing plate 28,and is threaded into an anchor plate 34. After properly adjustin thespacing plate 28, to the particular wi th of the lining fabric band, thescrew 32 is tightened, thereby locking the spacing plate 28 in positionand thereby also firmly securing the free, unattached ends of the walls22 and 23. i f

The lower and upper horizontal edges 35 and 36 respectively of the upperwall 22 may be flared upwardly to a slight extent, thereby facilitatingthe passage of the lining band or fabric, through the lining guide slot26.

The combined lining folder and stiffener band guide described above, anddesignated generally by the numeral 37, is secured, to the table 1 ofthe sewing machine, by means of a pair of screws 38, so that the lowerterminal 39 of the inclined edge 24 of the wall 23, that is the edgedelivery point of the slot 26, will be in substantial alignment with thesewing point or needle 40 of'the sewing ma-, chine, and spaced slightlyin advance of the presser-foot 41. The limngfolder 17 is also adjusteupon the base plate 2, by means of the screws 21, so that the deliverypoint 39 of the slot 26 of said folder 17 will be spaced inwardly aslight distance from the guiding shoulder 8, of the guiding channel 16;that is, so that the guiding channel 16 will project a slight distance.beyond the point 39.

The lining band 42, is delivered from an upper supply roll 43, carriedabove the sewraised suitable means beneath the sewing machine and ispassed through the guiding channel 16 of the base plate 2. v

The Presser-foot 41, carried by the presser rod of the sewing machine inthe usual manher, is provided with the elongated aperture .46, throughwhich the needle 40 of the sewing machlne may project, and isalsop'rovided with a slot 47 slightly in advance of the sewing needle 40and aperture 46, through which the folded edge 48 of the lining band 42extends. Thus, as the lining tape 42 is delivered from the lower end ofthe slot 26 in the folder 17, the folded edge 48 thereof, passes intothe slot 47 in the pressure-foot 41, and thence passes beneath thepresser-foot. The inner edge 49 of said slot 47, acts as'a guide or gagefor the edge 48 of the lining band 42, thereby accurately aligning saidedge 48 with the needle or sewing point 40 of the sewing machine.

While my improved apparatus, as well as the novel method carried outthereby, are applicable to any standard or conventional sewing machine,-in the preferred embodiment of my inventionfa sewing machine known asthe zig-zag sewing machine is employed. The needle of this type ofsewing machine. as is well known in the art, is moved back and forthbetween, two laterally spaced sewing positions thereof, betweensuccessive downward strokes of the needle. This lateral dis- I placementof the needle between successive downward strokes thereof, combined withthe longitudinal movement of the cloth, produces a series of stitchesdisposed at angles to each other, or what are known as zig-zag stitches.The cloth is thus pierced successivelyin two different and slightlyspaced longitudinal lines, the threadsof the stitches extending from oneline to the other at uniform angles. In order to simulate what is knownas hand finishing in the ap licationof the lining band 42 to thewaistband portion of the trousers, the delivery point 39 of the folder17 adjusted with respect to the needle 40 that the said needle 40 willpierce the lining 42 only in one of the two rows of the stitches, whilethe other row of stitches produced by said needle will be disposedbeyond the edge of the lining. By this means'the overcast band stitch isclosely simulated.

The waistband portion-500i? thecloth is then placed over the thickportion 4. of the base plate 2, and is passed beneath the pressried bythe base plate 2 in predetermined and fixed relation to the deliverypoint 39 of the folder 17, so that the folded edge 48 of the lining 42will overlap and be superimposed upon the free edge 51 of the cloth 50.The fixed gage 52, and the delivery point 39 of the folder 17, as wellas the guiding edge 8 of the guide channel 16, are so adjustedrelatively to each other, that the edge 53 of the stiffening fabric orband 44, projects beyond the folded edge 48 of the lining band 42 to asuitable extent, and also projects beneath and in lapping relation tothe free edge 51 of the cloth 50, as illustrated more particularly inFigs. land 5.

By this novel colocation of the edges 48, 51 and 53 with respect to eachother andwith respect to the needle or sewing point 40 of the sewingmachine, a row of zig-zag stitches is produced, extending through thefolded edge 48 of the lining as well as through the stiffening fabric 44along the points 54, and extending through the free edge 51 of the cloth50, and the stiffening fabric 44, along the alternate points 55 thereof.After leaving the I needle 40, or the sewing point of the machine,

the lining 42 and the stiffening band 40 are in the condition showndiagrammatically in Fig. 5.

After the entire waistband of the trouser is thus provided with a liningband 42 and a stiffener band 44, the fabric orcloth 50 of the trousersis folded around the free edge 53 of the stiffener fabric band 44, andis disposed adjacent to the opposed surface of the stifl'ener fabric,thereby positioning Saidstifl'ening fabric 44 intermediate of the liningband 42 and the cloth 50, in a mannershown diagrammaticallly in Fig. 6.By thus folding over the cloth 50, a well defined and uniform finishededge 56 is produced alongrthe upper edge of the waistband of thetrousers, said edge being supported by the free edge 53 of thestiffening band 44 within, or intermediate of, the cloth 50 and thelining 42,.with avoidance'of the bulkiness incident to the finishesheretofore commonly used.

. Moreover, by this novel method of affixing the lining band as well asthe stiffening band to the waistband of the trousers, the stitches 57are not visible from without, while from within a row of zig-zagstitches appear closely simulating hand felling. Furthermore by thisnovel construction, the stiflening band 44 is'disposed between the cloth50 of the waistband of the trousers and the lining 42,

in but asingle layer and is unfolded at its edges. Due to the absence ofany folded edges of the stiffener band 44, a much thin- Her and neaterfinished edge 56 is produced along the free edge of the waistband oftrousers.

It will be seen from the foregoing therefor that by my novel method ofaflixing the lining band as well as the stiffener band to the free upperedge of the waistband of trousers, ,or to the free edges of the cloth ofgarments in general, a seam is produced between lining and the cloth, aswell as between the stiffening layer, which in addition to possessingthe structural advantages and the desirable appearance and neatness of ahand stitched seam, can be produced at a small fraction of the cost andin a small fraction of the time required for hand felled seams.

By cutting the lining fabric'42 on the bias, so that the wales or ribsof the fabric will give a twilled effect and extend substantiallyparallel with one of the sets of alternate stitches of the zig-zag type,the hand finished or overcast stitch effect is further accentuated, dueto the partial concealment or embedding of one of the sets of zig-zagstitches, between the ribs of the lining fabric.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A garment edging comprising a plurality of plies of fabric havinglnturned edges, a ply of stiffening fabric housed between said pliesfirst'na'med and under one of said inturned edges, and a single row ofunachine stitching securing said plies together and visible from oneside of the edging and invisible from the other stitches aforesaidalternately engaging one of said inturned edges to said stifi'eningfabric and both of said inturned edges to said stiffening fabric.

2. A rality of plies of fabric having inturned 'uxtaposed edges, a plyof stiffening fa ric housed between said plies first named and under oneof said inturned edges, said plies being connected at their upper edgesonly by a row of zig-zag stitches connecting said plies together; one,of said first named plies 1 of fabric having spaced ribs extendingsubstantially parallel with one set of the zigzag stitches.

3. A garment edging comprising a plurality of plies forming an outerfabric and stitches connecting the inturned edge housing said stiffeningfabric member with said stiffening member and the inturned edge of thelining ply, said row of zig-zag stitches being visible from the liningside of said edging and invisible from the outer fabric side thereof,and stitches aforesaid alternately engaging one of said inturned edgesto said stiffening fabric' and both of said inturned edges to saidstiffening fabric.

4. A garment edging comprising a'body fabric ply and a lining fabric plyhaving inturned juxtaposed edges, the edge of said body ply extendingslightly beyondthe edge of said lining ply, a ply of stiffening fabricbetween said bodyand lining plies, and exgarment edging comprising aplua lining having inturned juxtaposed edges, 7

tending under and supporting the inturned edge of said body ply, and arow of zig-zag Stitches connecting the inturned portion of the edge ofsaid body ply with said stiffening ply and the inturned edge of saidlining ply, said row of zig-zag stitches being visible 'from the liningside of edging and invisible from the outside thereof and stitches aforesaid alternately engaging one of said inturned edges to said stiffeningfabric and both of said inturned edges to said stifi'ening fabric.

5. The method of affixing the lining to garments, which consists inoverlapping the free edge of the garment fabric upon an edge of astiffening fabric a suitable limited extent, folding under theedge of alinin fabric, superimposingsaid lining upon sai stiffener, with thefolded under edge thereof disposed in overlapping relation to said freeedge of the garment fabric, to a lesser extent however than thestifi'ener fabric, and

with said folded under edge of the lining immediately adjacent to thegarment fabric,

applying a row of machine stitches through the folded edge of saidlining, said garment fabric and said stiffener and lastly positioningsaid three fabrics in laminated relation to each other with thestiffener disposed intermediate of said other two fabric plies.

6. The method of affixing the lining to garments, which consists inoverlapping the free edge of the garment fabric upon an edge of a'stiffening fabric a suitable limited extent, folding under the edge of alining fabric, su erimposing said lining upon said stiffener, with thefolded under edge thereof disposed in overlapping relation to said freeedge of the garment fabric, to a lesser extent however than ,thestiffener fabric, and with said folded under edge of the liningimmediately adjacent to the garment fabric, applying a row of zig-zagstitches through the folded edge of said lining, said garment fabric andsaid stiffener and lastly positioning said three fabrics in laminatedrelation to each other with the stiffener disposed intermediate of saidother two fabric plies.

7. A garment edging comprising a plurality of plies of fabric havinginturned juxtaposed edges, a ply of stiffening fabric housed betweensaid plies first named, and a row of stitches connecting said pliestogether, some of the stitches aforesaid engaging both of said inturnededges to said stiffening fabric; and other of the stitches aforesaidengaging but one of said inturned edges to said stiffening fabric.

8. The method of forming a garment edgwhich comprises lapping aplurality of 1n fa%rics and a stiffener, alternately stitching throu hboth said fabrics and Paid stifi'ener, and t en through but one of saidfabrics and said stiflener, and folding one of said fabrics relativelyto said stiffener.

